This stage extends from the village of Rummana, which literally means pomegranates, and is approximately 17 km northwest of Jenin to the village of Burqin which is a Palestinian town located in the north of the West Bank, 5 km west of Jenin.
Rummana, like the rest of Palestine, was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in 1517. It is located on the green line on the borders with the Om Al-Fahem in the north of West Bank.
This is one of the most amazingly challenging and extremely superb hikes in Palestine. You start walking through the ancient village on a hill slope and you come across traces of ancient remains, including cisterns and caves carved into rock. After that, you come across a village called Ta’ennek in the northwest of Jenin. It is a very calm and quiet village that has a very simple way of living. This place traces back to the Canaanite Era and has a lot of Canaanite antiquities left there.
The path then starts to get more beautiful as you walk up the hill towards the top of the mountain that overlook Jezreel Valley, forming a dazzling view of Jenin. The houses there are strangely colored in different colors constructing a very artistic view. This is aside to the wonderful plains that have some agricultural lands and some desert-like areas.
Ta’ennek is a strategic place and a historical site that was mentioned in the bible and in the Egyptian archives.
The path continues and passes through Yamun, which has a lot of olive trees and cactus plants. This area is kind of different than other areas you walk in, it is mostly barren and dry.
At the end of the hike you head to St. George church in Burqin. This church belongs to the Greek Orthodox community, and is one of the oldest churches of its kind in Palestine that traces back to sometime in the 300s AC in the Byzantine Era. This church is the place where Jesus Christ had stopped in his path from Samaria and Galilee in order to heal the ten men who suffered from leprosy.
Info:
Walking Distance: Approximately 18 km
Walking Time: Approximately 5 – 7 hours
Difficulty: Difficult
Recommendations:
- Lightweight walking boots
- Walking poles
- At least 3 – 4 liters of water and snacks for the hike
- Sunscreen and hat
- Your camera
Accommodations in Burqin:
- Usama Al Saiegh Homestay
- Mustafa Jrar Homestay
- Ghadir Khlouf Homestay
- Imad Saleh Homestay
- Ameed Abbas Homestay